An energetic, visionary, and proven leader, Eric Lesser will partner with our next Governor to make sure she is the most successful in the country. Together, they will work on the biggest issue our state faces: the skyrocketing cost of living. Eric has a plan to fix our broken transportation system, build more housing, create better jobs, protect our environment, and make our state more affordable and equitable.
Eric understands that Massachusetts has so much going for it. But despite our Commonwealth’s considerable advantages, it’s harder and harder to live here. It’s too expensive – housing is out of control, transportation is unreliable, and childcare costs are crushing families. Meanwhile, small pockets of our state boom while entire regions are left behind. Our current situation doesn’t work: it creates skyrocketing prices and gridlock in some places, and vacuums jobs and opportunity from others.
In one of the richest and most progressive states in the nation, it is unacceptable that nearly 20% of households with children face food insecurity. That’s why Eric has spent years fighting the hunger epidemic, working with our food banks, shelters, farmlands, and markets to bring families the support they need.
Eric values our agricultural lands and strives to expand their economic development, especially in the western portion of the state. As lieutenant governor, he plans to engage all parts of the state as he continues his efforts to make sure no one in Massachusetts goes hungry.
Eric founded and co-chairs the Massachusetts Food System Caucus, a bicameral, bipartisan coalition that advocates for agricultural innovation and increased access to fresh and healthy produce.
He stewarded HIP, a program that matches dollar-for-dollar assistance from SNAP, and advocated for increased funding in order to keep the program running during the spring.
He stumped for increased funding and support for MEFAP, an emergency food assistance program crucial to our food bank systems and critical to combating food insecurity during this pandemic.
In 2019, Eric led successful efforts to secure tens of millions in funding for the Massachusetts Emergency Food Assistance Program as well as food banks and farmers’ markets statewide.
During the pandemic, Eric helped the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts by acting as the lead senate sponsor on legislation to give them millions of dollars in support.
Eric sponsors and cosponsors farm-to-school legislation that promotes student access to fresh food and the agricultural economy, and he passed legislation expanding breakfast programs in the state’s high-poverty schools.
For his work, Eric was honored as the Greater Boston Food Bank’s 2017 Legislator of the Year.